leaving tank light on
- Thread starter j j m
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Mine are on for 9 hours each but not at exactly the same time. I have two LED tubes which are either on or off, none of those fancy settings. Tube A comes on then half an hour later tube B comes on. 9 hours after tube A turned on, it turns off, then half an hour later tube B turns off. They are on timers so they turn on and off at the same time of day every day. When the hour goes forward in a couple of weeks, I won't alter the timers so it they'll be on an hour different for us but the same time for the fish.
In my betta tank, I leave it on for 6 hours. In my ramirezi tank, I leave it on for 8! What fish are you going to get? The time you should leave the lights on depends on the plants and the fish you have!
Mine are on for 8hrs per day. 4 hrs in the morning then 4 hrs in the evening
Mine are on for 8hrs per day. 4 hrs in the morning then 4 hrs in the evening
If I understand this correctly, there is a light period of four hours, then a period of no tank light (2, 3 hours or more), then a period of 4 hours tank light. If this is the case, you should change as this is detrimental to fish. The tank lighting period which is the "day" to the fish needs to be in one continuous period, whatever the duration. My article on light explains the risks to the fish.
As others noted, it depends on what is living in the tank. With plants, you need to provide sufficient light to drive photosynthesis but not result in problem algae. With fish and no live plants, it doesn't really matter, except it needs to be a continuous period each day, and not too lengthy. In my tanks, with plants, seven hours provides the max I can have without problem algae appearing.
Thats interesting, never thought it could be a risk to my fish. My thinking was having a split period of light would help combat algae and cyanobacteria. (This has worked for me and ive never had any algae issues).
I do it this way also so i can check all the fish in the morning before work then i get to enjoy the tanks on in the evenings when i get back
Something i need to look into changing then.
Thank you for sharing the article Byron
The Siesta approach became popular as a means of thwarting algae, though the reason why it can work is often misunderstood. It has to do with the CO2 in balance with the light intensity and duration. In natural or low-tech planted tanks that do not use diffused CO2 but rely on naturally-occurring CO2 from respiration and organic decomposition, the level of CO2 depends obviously upon the fish load and feeding. During "daylight" [here meaning the tank lighting] if the light is sufficient to drive photosynthesis, CO2 is used faster than it can be replaced naturally, and as carbon is likely the first nutrient to become exhausted, CO2 in a sense determines the photoperiod. Once the tank light is eliminated, photosynthesis cannot occur, and the CO2 slowly rebuilds from respiration of fish, plants, some bacteria, and decomposition. This is the reason for the diurnal shift in pH. Turning the tank light off for a couple hours or whatever midway through the photoperiod allows some CO2 to rebuild. But then we get into the problems for fish, and that should take precedence.
I worked my tank lighting out to seven hours daily. This balances the available nutrients including CO2 produced naturally, and it works with the light intensity I use which is moderate, again thinking more of the fish. Problem algae has been unseen in my tanks for five years now.
The natural occurring CO2 can be substantial. A few years ago I noticed one morning just after the lights came on that the cories were respirating very rapidly. I thought through the possible issues and wondered if the nightly build-up of CO2 could be responsible. It was. I increased the surface disturbance at one end of the tank, which drove off CO2 better, and the cories respiration became normal throughout the day and has not been an issue since.
I worked my tank lighting out to seven hours daily. This balances the available nutrients including CO2 produced naturally, and it works with the light intensity I use which is moderate, again thinking more of the fish. Problem algae has been unseen in my tanks for five years now.
The natural occurring CO2 can be substantial. A few years ago I noticed one morning just after the lights came on that the cories were respirating very rapidly. I thought through the possible issues and wondered if the nightly build-up of CO2 could be responsible. It was. I increased the surface disturbance at one end of the tank, which drove off CO2 better, and the cories respiration became normal throughout the day and has not been an issue since.
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